You're beautiful
by I will never be loved
Summary: "I think everyone is beautiful," a person once told me. "But, once that person believes that they are worthless…they become ugly." Hinata Hyuga is a former elite at Konoha Academy for The Gifted and is currently at the bottom of the food chain. Sasuke offers the meek student a chance to join the 'it' group with a few exceptions. Implied Sasuhina, friendly Gaahina.


_ "I think everyone is beautiful," a person once told me. "But, once that person believes that they are worthless…they become ugly."_

* * *

**You're beautiful**

* * *

I, like many teenage girls tried my best to look pretty, even if it didn't show that much. Although my daily attire consisted of plain and baggy clothes, even I tried to look pretty. But…even with all the clothes and make up one could buy, you'd still be ugly. Even if I wore fancy clothes, my strange hair, eccentric eyes and my shyness wouldn't change. That's why I, Hinata Hyuga am ugly.

It was a regular day in Konoha academy for the gifted where all students have at least one or more talent. In showbiz, you'd find the best new artists here, you'd find future scientists and doctors here, and you could even see the best painters and sculptors here. Despite everyone excelling a field, even this school had a pecking order. And I would know, I was at the bottom.

My talent apparently lied within the art field. I could paint, sculpt, write and sketch better than most of the students. I was elite, as some would call me. So, all elites were part of a group called 'it', yes, their name was very original, wasn't it? That was sarcasm if you didn't notice. So, being an acclaimed elite, I was supposed to be in the 'it' group. Unfortunately, things didn't go as expected…

The 'it' group was made out of all the elites in different fields. In the modeling field, you had Ino, for the cuisine field, you had Choji, for the sports field you had Naruto and Kiba…and so on and so on. So, by school tradition, the 'it' group can only have eleven members at a time until the seniors graduate. At that time, the 'it' group had only ten members, namely, Neji Hyuga, my beloved cousin, Tenten, Rock Lee, Sasuke Uchiha, Ino Yamanaka, Naruto Uzumaki, Kiba Inuzuka, Shikamaru Nara, Choji Akimichi and Shino Aburame.

So, after being 'pleased' with my skills in the art field, it had been decided that I would be joining the 'it' group…you can imagine how ecstatic I was…but then…_she _came. Sakura Haruno had transferred into the acting field and she was what most would call a 'noob'. But, her real talent lied within information and manipulation. Apparently, she had dirt on Ino and Sasuke, the two people who were practically in charge of 'it'. And so, she forced them to give the final spot of 'it' to her.

Popularity and campus fame followed shortly after it was announced that Sakura Haruno was part of 'it'. And where did that leave me? Alone and forgotten. But apparently, just taking my spot wasn't enough for her. Some people say that she was threatened by my existence, afraid that I would steal her spot because apparently, I had the talent to do so. So, she secured her position by making everyone treat me like dirt. She made it so no one would look at me or my paintings ever again. She made everyone forget me. She turned me into a shadow so she could shine.

The previous peace within the campus soon changed. Sakura managed to kick Ino out of her place and became the new leader of 'it'. Though she was not elite, she was talented and cunning and dangerous…a deadly combination. That's not to say that she was evil, oh no, she was just…determined. And, when a woman wants something…she gets it.

* * *

Part Un

* * *

"What are you painting today?" someone asks me.

I looked up from my easel to see Gaara staring intently at my canvas. Gaara Sabaku, one of the best sand sculptors I have ever met. I smiled at him, we often painted or sculpted together, we didn't talk much but we considered each other friends. "It's just a dream I had last night," I tell him and return to my painting. On the canvas, was a dark, almost black silhouette of a person dancing behind a waterfall at midnight. It was a recurring dream, one which I enjoyed.

"It must have been a nice dream," he comments and sits beside me he pulls out an unfinished clay sculpture and begins molding it into God knows what.

"What are you making today?" I smile.

He smirks at me. "Just a dream I had last night," he tells me. Curious, I stop painting to look at the clay beneath it hands. It has a humanoid shape, was he dreaming of a person?

"Was it a good dream?" I ask.

He chuckles. "You could say that."

Silence consumes the room and a good hour passes before my painting is done. Smiling in satisfaction, I set it down and walk over to Gaara who is still sculpting. The small sculpture is a woman in a white sundress. She looks really happy, I can see it in her smile…Gaara was always good at these things.

"She's really pretty," I say.

"Yes," he replies. "She is."

"You're really good at this," I tell him.

"You think so?" he asks, apparently amused by my admiration.

I nod. "You could be a part of 'it'," I say.

His expression darkens. "I'd rather not."

I do not push the subject any further. Gaara was talented, he was better than most, he was the best, he could be elite…however, he never accepted the rank/status and I could never fathom why. Being elite gave you privileges, privileges that I may or may not have missed after my elite status was stripped away. The bell rings and free period is over. My expression saddens, hell will begin shortly. Gaara grunts and sets aside his sculpture. We walk out the door together, bid each other goodbye and walk away from each other.

The music room is a small and empty room with the exception of instruments. The ceiling is at least one hundred feet above us and there are windows above, once the music started, the songs played would resound all over the campus. I sat down and grabbed a triangle, quiet and small…just like me. The teacher arrives and a plethora of instruments play all at once, following the musical score and flowing with the rhythm that the conductor was creating. As I listened to the music, I realized that we were playing Pachelbel's canon, a repeating tune that I was fond of.

The bell rings and the music ceases. The students pack up and leave, I set aside the triangle and walk out. The music left as soon as it had come and the room was silent. As usual, I was the last to leave; I had to deal with the irritating sound of my footsteps echoing throughout the building. Hopefully my next class would be better than this.

The next class was English literature. Where we would read a book and discuss the next day. The chosen book was 'To kill a Mockingbird' and today would be the discussion. Our teacher, Kurenai walks up to the blackboard and writes in her flowery handwriting the word 'Mockingjay'.

"As Harper Lee wrote, 'it is a sin to kill a mockingbird,'" she says. "Mockingbirds do nothing but make beautiful music for us to enjoy, that is why it is a sin…the case of Tom to this is very similar, he could be played out as the mockingbird, that is to say that his persecutors sinned…" I tune out her voice and think of what I should paint. Perhaps I could try painting that nightmare I had a few days back…

"Hyuga!" I hear my name being yelled. "Please answer the question!"

"I'm sorry; could you please repeat the question?" I ask.

She sighs. "Do you think that most people today still kill Mockingbirds…a simple yes or no will suffice."

I gulp. "Yes," I say.

"Would you like to expound on that?" she asks me.

"No…"

"You may be seated."

I slump in my seat and return to planning on what I should paint. Perhaps a nightmare wouldn't be so bad…

* * *

Part Deux

* * *

Finally I entered my haven, the art room. There wasn't many art students left since the newcomers opted for acting, singing, dancing, sports and so on. I didn't really mind though. There were about ten art students in my year and only one elite…well, on the same level of elite but not really elite…and one former elite.

The art teacher was Kakashi, a laid back person who barely did anything but read. Gaara took a seat next to me and he continued on his sculpture as I brought out a new canvas. Streaks of black filled my canvas along with other colors that I abhorred. Ghastly shadows planted themselves against a burning background and crying…I could hear so much cries from the shadows that I almost screamed for my sanity.

"What a horrible painting," a voice says, bringing me back to reality.

"Gaara…" I set down my brush.

"It's sickening…Hinata, why would you paint such a thing?" he asks me.

"I…It's a nightmare…" I tell him.

He stays silent. "What a horrible nightmare, then," he whispers after the silence.

I look at the horrible painting and I wish to gouge out my eyes. Everything from the twisted branches to the grotesque faces in the shadow made me feel sick. I understand what Gaara meant; it was truly a horrid thing to paint. "May I see your sculpture?" I ask him, quickly changing the subject.

He steps aside and I see a plain white figurine of a girl. I recognize the girl now, the wide eyes, the bangs, the long flowy hair, the gangly frame…

"It's me, isn't it?" I ask him.

He nods. "What do you think?"

"It's ugly," I bring my hands to cover my mouth but I realize it's too late.

Gaara has a mixture of surprise, anger and hurt in his face. I can understand why, after all, this is the first time I ever called one of Gaara's projects ugly. He glowers over me and pushes me against the wall. Kakashi is gone, the students are gone…I'm alone with Gaara.

"Hinata…you're not ugly," he tells me, leaning dangerously close; I can feel him warm breath against my skin. "You're beautiful."

It takes a while for Gaara to cool down, but he soon steps aside and lets me walk. It is getting dark and the campus is empty. Gaara begins packing his things and I do the same. We walk together until the bus stop and we say our awkward farewells.

"Goodbye Gaara," I nod to him.

"Hinata," he tugs on my sleeve and pauses. "Never call yourself ugly again…okay?"

The bus door closes before I reply. I leave behind a gawking Gaara. Well, Gaara wasn't one to gawk but…you get my point. The bus ride home is two hours long. Usually, I would sleep or work on my sketches, I decided to sleep, and it was a long day after all. The bus was empty…well, almost empty with the exception of one or two people. My eyes close and the last image I see is a dark boy walking towards me…that would make a nice painting…

* * *

Part Trios

* * *

I awaken an hour later and I am alone on the bus…that's what I think before a flash stuns me.

"Good evening, sleepy beauty," a deep voice teases me.

I instantly recognize the voice, it is Sasuke Uchiha, the male leader of the 'it' group. The number one elite in acting. His phone dangles from his fingers and the screen faces me, a picture of me just waking up is there. I look so lost…like a mouse.

"Delete that," I growl…I meant to growl but it came out as more of a squeak.

"How cute, the mouse speaks," he smirks.

I pout. "What do you want, Uchiha?" I hiss out his name.

His face turns into the serious and stoic face he shows around campus. "It's about 'it'," he says seriously. "The seniors are graduating…you're still a freshman, am I correct?"

I nod.

"We have three seniors, your cousin Neji, Tenten and Lee," he says. "This means that it's time to choose their successors."

"I already know about all of this," I tell him. "What do you want me to do about it?"

"I want you to succeed one of them," he says.

I gasp. "That's impossible!" I yell. "First, how can I succeed them, all of them are elites in Martial arts, I'm just elite in arts, no wait, I'm not even elite anymore!"

"But you have talent," he counters.

"I know but…I highly doubt that _she _would let me join."

"Ah yes, Sakura…that's exactly the reason I want you to join," he says. "Knowing Sakura, she'd pick the people she likes the most…that is not what 'it' is about. Even having her in 'it' stains the name," he growls. I see his knuckles turn white.

"As for the second successor…how is that sculptor friend of yours?" he asks.

"Gaara?" he must be joking. "Gaara doesn't like 'it'…he doesn't even consider himself an elite!"

"Convince him," Sasuke demands. "He listens to you, doesn't he?"

"Yes…but what about the last spot? Will you let Sakura have her way?"

"Of course not," he chuckles. "Surprisingly, Tenten already has a successor…so it's fine."

"What about-"

"Your stop princess," he says and the bus halts.

Without having much of a choice, I exit the bus and run into my house, throwing myself on my bed. My phone rings and I flip it open. It's a text message from Gaara.

_From: Panda-chan_

_Hinata, can you explain to me why a bowl headed idiot with ridiculously huge eyebrows has been following me around in a green jumpsuit and asking me to be his 'successor'? I swear to God, he's outside my window right now, serenading me. Why do I have a feeling you have something to do with this?_

I groan and throw my phone down. Could this day get any worse?

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**Author's note: I should probably update my other stories but…eh! I like this story. If I stop updating weekly with no reason, slap me…or just write a letter and send it to me. Either will do.**

**|~Iwillneverbeloved~|**

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